DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“Simple Saturday” columns are meant to help aspiring players improve technique.

When you’re learning bridge, you must absorb a lot of information: the structure of a bidding system plus “rules” for the play and defense. But the essence of the game is problem-solving.

North’s natural and positive response of two spades promises a decent five-card or longer suit. East interferes with three diamonds, but South takes over with a Blackwood ace-asking bid of 4NT and jumps confidently to six hearts.

West leads the queen of clubs, and dummy plays low. What should East do?

South surely has a singleton club: He wouldn’t use Blackwood with a worthless doubleton in an unbid suit. Moreover, if West heard the auction, he would have led a diamond if he could.

East’s logical defense is to overtake the queen of clubs with the ace and return the king of diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ 82 ♥◆5 K Q 10 9 876 ♣ A 7 2. You are the dealer, both sides vulnerable. What is your opening call?

ANSWER: This is a judgment call. If an expert panel were consulted, some would open three diamonds despite the presence of a side ace. A few would open two diamonds, weak, despite the sevencard suit. Many would open one diamond. Since no bid is perfectly descriptive, I would be inclined to pass, but I would accept a diamond bid.